Last year's Covenant School shooting brought a swell of gun reform activists to Capitol Hill. They filled the galleries overlooking the House Chamber, and when the state's Republican supermajority declined to debate any new measures, the crowds became unfriendly.
With the new 2024 Tennessee Legislative session underway this week new policies set by House Speaker Cameron Sexton ( R - Crossville) limit the number of people in the public viewing areas to just 99. House Assistant Clerk Daniel Hicks says the policy was put in place by Sexton as a result of fire marshal regulations.
The 99 individuals are chosen from tickets, which are allotted to Tennessee House members. Sells says that this has raised major concern over who can and can't have access to the gallery.
Sells joins host Eric Barnes for a journalist roundtable with Chalkbeat Tennessee's Laura Testino and Daily Memphian reporters Bill Dries and Julia Baker. In addition to the current Tennessee legislative session, guests talk about the new City of Memphis Mayor Paul Young's administration — mentioning proposed appointees for official city positions and some of Young's initiatives since taking office.
Guests also talk about criminal justice, education, the Memphis City Council and more.